In this debate, hear our expert panellists share their views on what’s behind the market cycle, the challenges of a softening market, how MGAs can protect their clients, the need to take a long-term view and the importance of carrier stability.
Moderated by Mike Keating, Chief Executive Officer of the MGAA, joining our Panel will be:
- Gary Head, AXA Director of Schemes and Delegated Authorities
- Joel Markham, Head of Sales & Marketing DA, AXA Schemes
- Lee Hudson, Head of Specialty Lines, AXA Commercial
- Adrian Scott, Managing Director – Financial Lines, Pen Underwriting
- Daniel Berry, Chief Underwriting Officer, Brown & Brown Europe
Learning Objectives
At the end of this session, delegates will be able to:
- Describe the factors behind the market cycle.
- List the ways to overcome the challenges of the current market.
- Identify the actions and steps you can take to protect your clients.
About the Panellists & Moderator
Gary Head (Director of Schemes and Delegated Authorities, AXA Schemes)
AXA Commercial’s Director of Schemes & Delegated Authorities since January 2020. His team operates across the Motor, Property & Casualty and Specialty Lines areas of the market to support innovative partners in developing products which are “tailor made” to meet the needs of particular customer groups.
Prior to joining AXA Gary was with Hiscox for 22 years where he was Chief Underwriting Officer and Board Member of their UK and US Commercial businesses from 2008 to 2016 and then Head of their Alternative Distribution business. He was instrumental at Hiscox in developing both the Regional intermediated book and the Binding Authority business. Prior to this, he was a broker in the London Market at various broking houses, including Windsor, Bain Hogg and Aon.
Joel Markham (Head of Sales & Marketing DA, AXA Schemes)
Joel is Head of Sales and Marketing for AXA’s Schemes and Delegated Authority business. This involves managing scheme relationships, and new deals implementation. Joel is passionate about enabling profitable schemes grow, pushing into niche areas and working with like-minded scheme holders.
Lee Hudson (Head of Specialty Lines, AXA Commercial)
Lee has over 30 years Underwriting experience, with a specialisation in Financial Lines, particularly PI. Currently residing in his hometown of Bristol, Lee has worked all around the UK, including London, and also in the United States for a time. He joined AXA UK in December 2021 as Head of Specialty focussing on developing AXA’s appetite for all thing non-P&C: FL, LDI, Bonds, etc.
Adrian Scott (Managing Director – International Lines, Pen Underwriting)
Adrian joined Pen in July 2016 and has over 25 years’ experience in professional and financial lines, including more than a decade in the cyber insurance arena. His experience encompasses a number of senior industry roles in the US at the forefront of the cyber sector, including Executive Vice President and Chief Underwriting Officer at Ridge Global, a cybersecurity firm founded and headed by former US Head of Homeland Security Tom Ridge.
Daniel Berry (Chief Underwriting Officer, Brown & Brown Europe)
Dan is currently CUO for Brown & Brown Europe, one of the largest MGA’s in the UK, with responsibility for underwriting performance, capacity management, claims and governance. He has 20 years’ experience having started his career in Lloyd’s as a P&C underwriter, and for the last 15 years he’s been focussed on the MGA market including being on the carrier side delegating capacity. He started his first MGA in 2009 and also helped launch an insurtech in 2019 providing simplified insurance products direct to consumers. He has also worked for W R Berkley and Aspen.
Michael Keating (Chief Executive Officer, MGAA)
With Over 40 years’ experience in the industry Mike’s career has included time at Insurers, Brokers & MGAs in both the Commercial & Personal Lines markets. He held Executive positions at AXA, Midas, UK General and most recently Insurtech start up Qlaims before becoming Chief Executive Officer at the MGAA in September 2020.
